Introduction

Every project starts with the potential client filling out the online form. Your answers to these questions will provide me the background information, vision and specifics that I need in order get your project started.

Review and Agreement

After I receive your questionnaire, I will review the results to determine if we are good fit based on the specifics needs of your project and my availability. I will then put together a contract that clearly explains my proposed pricing, payment details and schedule. Rather than billing hourly, I charge on a per-project basis. Pricing will vary depending on the unique demands of each project and the value that my design solution will ultimately provide.

If the terms are agreeable, you will return the signed contract and I will respond with an initial invoice for the 50% deposit. Once you have made this initial payment, I can begin the design process. I use services like FreshBooks and Docracy to make everything as simple and easy as possible.

Research

Every design project should start with research. I will use the answers that you provided in the questionnaire as a launching point to investigate your market, competition and target audience. I am a strong proponent of investing time up front in order to make the final piece as effective as possible.

Sketching

This phase starts out as a kind of “visual brainstorm” of all the potential ideas and directions for your cover art. I eventually hone this collection into the final concept that I believe will serve you best. This step can be very extensive for more iconic or illustrative projects like the Rich Tips design; or the sketches can be pretty light if I’m just working out an arrangement of text and photos like in the Ask Anything cover art.

Going Digital

After I’ve gotten the concept nailed down, I move back to the computer where I start hammering out the final design. This phase is done in Adobe Illustrator and/or Photoshop depending on the project and includes a lot of refining, adjusting and fine-tuning. The color palette is determined and every detail is carefully considered with the project goals in mind.

Delivery

Your cover art is ready; we’re almost there! I will give you access to a detailed case study explaining the vision and reasoning behind the design. My writeup will give a straightforward explanation of how your new cover art will help your podcast accomplish its goals.

Once the final invoice has been paid, I will provide you with the finished JPEG or PNG file at 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels.